January 28, 2025 by Edelweiss Plus
E ARC provided by Amulet Books
Darian has been raised by the brothers in the Order of the Right Hand on Rhodenroode Island ever since he was young, and is now a trainee. He is one of the few who have brown skin, and thinks his parents may have been from Yabaland. Life in the mission, ruled by a leader called the Apostle, is very ascetic, and all of the members of the community follow the very strict religious teachings. One of the accepted facts is that twice a year, during the spring and fall equinoxes, a boy goes missing. Darian is sad when Gregor, an older boy who also apprentices at the village bakery with him, is gone, but one of the tenents of the mission's beliefs is that nothing is to be questioned. The disappearances are blamed on the Eastern Cloister, and soon forgotten. Darian is close to Micah, a boy who doesn't often speak, and the two communicate in signs. They are punished for being close friends. While life in the mission is difficult, Darian takes comfort in being with the Bakers, but when Mrs. Baker starts to help him question the disappearances, Darian is told he will no longer be coming to the village to help. There are more and more inconsistencies in the brothers' philosophy versus their actions, and the more Darian investigates, the more he is punished. Another boy, Lowery, tries to help, because he recognizes that Darian feels the same way about Micah that Lowery feels about Seb, even if Darian himself doesn't quite realize it. When Micah runs away, Darian goes after them, and the two set off towards the Eastern Cloisters to try to find the other missing boys. When they get there, they are shocked to find nothing but burned ruins. They are almost captured by officers from the village who want to return them to the mission, but saved by Zaide, who tranquilizes the officers with darts. Zaide is from Lagoja, and takes the boys back with her to meet her sibling, Ikebi, as well as her mother, who is an elder. The boys find out secrets about the mission and the entire community, and find that Lagoja is not the wilderness they have been taught to believe. They are cared for, but have to go before the Circle of Elders to see what their fate will be. The people from Rhodenroode, referred to as the "stone men" because of the gray cast to their skin and their general demeanor, have tried to insert their influence into Lagoja, but have been rebuffed. Some of the elders don't trust the boys, for good reason, but finally allow them to stay. Darian, however, wants to travel back to the mission to try to rescue some of the boys. The Lagojans are a much more advanced society, and have solar powered trains, cars, and even aircraft, so Zaide helps Darian fly back. He meets some resistance from the boys at the mission, but when a dark and evil secret about the Apostle, they all know that the must break free from what they were taught. Will Darian be able to save himself, Micah, and his community?
Strengths: The world building in this is quite effective, and the book split evenly between the horrors of life in the mission and the freedom of the Lagojan society. There are lots of good themes of personal identity and community, and on trend discussions about religion and colonization. The mystery of what has happened to the missing trainees is threaded though the entire story, and resolved in a sensational and satisfying manner. Darian and Micah's relationship is very supportive and sweet, and they work well together to figure out what is wrong in their world. The Lagojan society is such a relief after all of the horrible treatment Darian and Micah experience at the mission. The ending works well, and I liked that Darian finally has some agency in what happens to him.
Darian has been raised by the brothers in the Order of the Right Hand on Rhodenroode Island ever since he was young, and is now a trainee. He is one of the few who have brown skin, and thinks his parents may have been from Yabaland. Life in the mission, ruled by a leader called the Apostle, is very ascetic, and all of the members of the community follow the very strict religious teachings. One of the accepted facts is that twice a year, during the spring and fall equinoxes, a boy goes missing. Darian is sad when Gregor, an older boy who also apprentices at the village bakery with him, is gone, but one of the tenents of the mission's beliefs is that nothing is to be questioned. The disappearances are blamed on the Eastern Cloister, and soon forgotten. Darian is close to Micah, a boy who doesn't often speak, and the two communicate in signs. They are punished for being close friends. While life in the mission is difficult, Darian takes comfort in being with the Bakers, but when Mrs. Baker starts to help him question the disappearances, Darian is told he will no longer be coming to the village to help. There are more and more inconsistencies in the brothers' philosophy versus their actions, and the more Darian investigates, the more he is punished. Another boy, Lowery, tries to help, because he recognizes that Darian feels the same way about Micah that Lowery feels about Seb, even if Darian himself doesn't quite realize it. When Micah runs away, Darian goes after them, and the two set off towards the Eastern Cloisters to try to find the other missing boys. When they get there, they are shocked to find nothing but burned ruins. They are almost captured by officers from the village who want to return them to the mission, but saved by Zaide, who tranquilizes the officers with darts. Zaide is from Lagoja, and takes the boys back with her to meet her sibling, Ikebi, as well as her mother, who is an elder. The boys find out secrets about the mission and the entire community, and find that Lagoja is not the wilderness they have been taught to believe. They are cared for, but have to go before the Circle of Elders to see what their fate will be. The people from Rhodenroode, referred to as the "stone men" because of the gray cast to their skin and their general demeanor, have tried to insert their influence into Lagoja, but have been rebuffed. Some of the elders don't trust the boys, for good reason, but finally allow them to stay. Darian, however, wants to travel back to the mission to try to rescue some of the boys. The Lagojans are a much more advanced society, and have solar powered trains, cars, and even aircraft, so Zaide helps Darian fly back. He meets some resistance from the boys at the mission, but when a dark and evil secret about the Apostle, they all know that the must break free from what they were taught. Will Darian be able to save himself, Micah, and his community?
Strengths: The world building in this is quite effective, and the book split evenly between the horrors of life in the mission and the freedom of the Lagojan society. There are lots of good themes of personal identity and community, and on trend discussions about religion and colonization. The mystery of what has happened to the missing trainees is threaded though the entire story, and resolved in a sensational and satisfying manner. Darian and Micah's relationship is very supportive and sweet, and they work well together to figure out what is wrong in their world. The Lagojan society is such a relief after all of the horrible treatment Darian and Micah experience at the mission. The ending works well, and I liked that Darian finally has some agency in what happens to him.
Weaknesses: This had a decided 1980s medievalish/dystopian fantasy style to it; I felt like Richard Cuffari should have designed the cover. It's a well written book, but it's not quite the style of fantasy that my students ask for. Lucas' Thanks a Lot, Universe has circulated well, but my readers would be far more likely to pick up a book about basketball than this type of fantasy.
What I really think: This labor of love for Lucas is a good choice for readers who liked Gemeinhart's Scar Island, or allegorical tales like Sndyer's Orphan Island or Spinelli's Hokey Pokey.
What I really think: This labor of love for Lucas is a good choice for readers who liked Gemeinhart's Scar Island, or allegorical tales like Sndyer's Orphan Island or Spinelli's Hokey Pokey.
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